Improved method of generating gas from petroleum



' rate retort.

UNITED STATE/s PATENT OFFICE.

CAR CARPENTER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED METHOD OF G-ENERATING- G-AS FROM PETROLEUM.

Specification forming part of Letters .Patent No. 81,136, dated August 18, 1868.

To all whom lit may concern:

Be it knownthat I, CAR CARPENTER, of the city of Buffalo, inA the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a certain new and improved method or" generating gas from crude petroleum or other impure liquid hydrocarbon; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descrip' tion thereof, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, making a part of this specication, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical section of the parts composing the said apparatus placed in a line. Fig. II isa top plan View of a portion of the same.

The nature of this inventionconsists in vaporizing the petroleum or other liquid hydrocarbon in a boiler by a low boiling heat, and afterward converting said vapor into a fixed gas by subjecting it to a high heat in a sepa- It is essential that the evapo rating-boiler shall be constantly supplied with a considerable body of petroleum or other hy drocarbon in a liquid state, so that while the Y lighter and more volatile portions shall pass olf in a state of vapor, the tar and other heavy impurities shall settle to the bottom, and be drawn off from time to time, instead of being vaporized, and thus passing over to the retorts, as heretofore.

To carry this method into effect, I employ' an apparatus consisting, rst, in the construetion, application, and use of a boiler for converting crude petroleum into vapor, for the purpose ot' making a fixed illuminating-gas Y fourth, the combination, with said boiler, re-

tort or retorts, and cooling apparatus, of a purifying-chamber, composed .of an air-tight reservoir, provided with one or more perforated diaphragms, each supporting a layer ot' lime or/other purifying substance, the gas being conducted through said diaphragms and purifying substances successively; fifth,

heat required for the respective processes;

seventh, in the combination, with said boiler, of a steam or vapor gage, which indicates how fast the petroleum is converted into vapor, so that the attendant may regulate the lires in the furnaces accordingly.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

A represents a boiler, which may be of any convenient size or shape, and is supported upon or within a heating-furnace, which may be built of brick or other suitable material, in

a common manner, as shown, B. ,Y

U represents a tank or reservoir filled with the crude petroleum or otheroleaginous substance t'rom which it is designed to generate gas. connected with the boiler by a feed-pipe, D, with a suitable stopcock, d1, and a checkvalve, or its equivalent, d2, for the purpose of preventing the passage of vapor into the reservoir.

Upon the introduction ofthe petroleum into the boiler it is thoroughly distilled or boiled into a vapor, in which shape it rises and is discharged through an opening in the top of the boiler.

al represents a steam or vapor gage, which is attached to the boiler in a manner to indicate how quick the petroleum is generated into vapor, so that the attendant may regulate the lires in the furnaces accordingly'.

E represents a condenser, which is connected with the boiler by two pipes, el e2, one leading from the top of the boiler to the top of the condenser, and the latter from-the bottom of the latter to a point above the middle of the boiler. This condenser is used whenever vapor is made faster in the boiler than it can be converted into gas by the second part of the process, as may be observed by reference to the 1t is placed in an elevated position, and

able position Within `a furnace,.G, Which may.

be built either independent et' the furnace B, or as a continuation or extension thereof.

These retorts are connected with each other by tubes f', as represented in the drawings, and with the Aboiler by the feed-pipe h. The

`vapor rising from the boiling petroleum in the boiler-A is conveyed through the pipe IL into one of the retorts, and thence through the others consecutively, and in its passage ,through these retorts is converted into a fixed illuminatiugfgas. This completes the second part of the pro- .cess of v,f .eneratinggas from petroleum, viz.,`

converting the vapor into a fixed gas. It new remains to cool the gas discharged from Athe retorts and to purify it.

The former is accomplished by passing it through one or more air-tight chambers, each submerged in cold water, as shown at I.

The latter process consists in passing the ,gas vertically through the chamber J, which is provided with one or more perforated diaphragme, J1, 4each covered with a layer of' lime or other purifying substance.l Frein thence the cooled and purified gas is conducted into the gasometer K, in which it may be retained, ready for-use, for any lengthof time, without changing the nature or impairing the quality of the gas.

The boiler A is kept constantly lled about two-thirds with the crude petroleum, and is used only for the purpose of extracting in the form of vapor the lighter qualities of' the oil-such as gasoline, benzine, and all refined oil. The heavier portion and the sediment or tarry residuum otl the petroleum are allowed abundant time to settle and remain `not been heretofore obtained in the various contrivanees of a similar nature for the like purpose.

.By passing the vaporthroughtheretorts F it is converted into a xed gas, which, after' it is thoroughly cooled and purified, is ready for use, and produces a superiorand more steady light than any heretofore obtained from crude petroleum or other oleaginous substances. f

It will be readily observed that inthe use of myimproved apparatus the process of generating gas from petroleum is divided into two distinct parts, the first converting the petroleum into vapor, and the second converting the vapor into gas.

I am well aware that a boiler or retort has heretofore been used for the purpose of generating gas f'rom petroleum, and I do not therefore claim either broadly for that purpose; but

What I claimA as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The method herein dercribed of generating illuminating-gas from crude petroleum or other impure liquid hydrocarbon, consisting inirst vaporizing the same by subjecting a body thereofl to a low boiling heat in a boiler, and then converting said vapor into a fixed gas by subjecting it to a high heat in a separate retort, substantially as described.

2. In combination with the boiler A, constructed and operating as described, a condenser, E, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In combination with the boiler A, constructed and operating as described, the steam or vapor gage al, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

CAR CARPENTER.

Witnesses:

B. H. MUEHLE, FRED. XV. SCOTT. 

